There seems to be a mixed batch of recipes used in creating a great folk-pop song, but there are certainly a few vital ingredients shared by each and every success. We're convinced that Seattle foursome Ivan & Alyosha has assembled a near-perfect blend of these elements, in addition to a few new touches of their own. Their debut full length, All the Times We Had, was released this past February, and it is saturated folky rhythms, hooking group melodies, as well as a heavy hand of rock electricity. Songs like "Running for Cover" satisfy the folk tastes we've come to crave, while tunes like "Who Are You" permeate the world of riffy rock.

While down in Austin, Ivan & Alyosha were the only group we saw twice, and for good reason. Their performance at our Launch Pad Series was one not to be missed.

Transcript

Seattle, Washington. Thanks for coming early to see us. I want to be the man Who gives you all the presents Underneath your Christmas Tree Well, they're all from me And I want to be the boy Who'll run and tell his baby Every time he skins his knee Or breaks his toy Yes, I want to be your boy Be your boy, be your boy I want to be your boy Be your boy, be your boy - 5, 6, 7, 8! I want to be the man Who understands his woman And you know she'd do right by me Do you understand? And I want to be the boy Who gets you all The pretty little things In your magazines Oh, it's such a joy Yes, I want to be your boy Be your boy, be your boy I want to be your boy Be your boy, be your boy I want to be the man Who understands his woman And you know she'd do right by me Do you understand? Yes, I want to be your man Be your man, be your man I want to be your man Be your man, be your man I want to be your man Be your man, be your man I want to be your man Be your man, be your man Oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh Ah, ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah - Thanks very much. Everybody get a Red Bull. Everybody waking up. Aah, aah, aah, aah Aah, aah, aah, aah Fathers be kind to your children You know it matters what you tell them Got to feel for them Well, go ahead and steal for them Brothers be good to your sisters And lovers leave behind your mistress Hope is coming soon Take a pen and paper And write that tune Well, you know that the light At the end of the tunnel is dim Don't answer to the mediocre lives That have gone ahead Captains be kind to your kings If they do you harm, don't say anything Love will find a way Clarity will come on Judgment Day Dreamers spend some time awake Open your eyes Please don't forsake what's in front of you Forgetting your portrait all too soon Well, you know That the light at the end of the tunnel is dim Don't answer to the mediocre lives That have gone ahead Paving the way for the innocent to crumble It's our children's children And those who have yet to belong Yeah, yeah, the light at the end of the tunnel is dim Don't answer to the mediocre lives That have gone ahead Paving the way for the innocent to crumble It's our children's children And those who have yet to belong Ah, ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah, ah Woah, aah, aah, aah, aah Woah, ooh, aah, aah When the sky turns black And we know it will from time to time Yeah, we've been through that And we came out on top because You're really easy to love You're really easy to love Yes, I know you're good And you know I try most of the time Yeah, we've been through that And we came out on top because You're really easy to love You're really easy to love When I can't take it My heart is aching You're really easy to love When the sky turns black Oooh Yes, we know it will from time to time Yeah, we've been through that And we came out on top because You're really easy to love You're really easy to love When I can't take it My heart is aching You're really easy to love - This is water. It looks like Vodka. It's water. This one's called "The Fold." All the years That you have wasted Now you want 'em all back Long ago you stopped counting Because you couldn't keep track You were faced with a future That was bright as the sun But the pressure, it was melting You decided to run Don't you fold When the mountain is high When the river is wide Don't you fold When you're out of your mind Yeah, when you're walking the line An oasis in the desert Where the waters run clear And the only way to see it Is to believe that it's there Well, we always fight our battles No matter where you came So be done with your excuses You're the only one to blame Don't you fold When the mountain is high When the river is wide Don't you fold When you're out of your mind Yeah, when you're walking the line And all this time I was living a lie I was lost and petrified But I know that things Could change in time All the years dreams can buy Between the heart and the mind Don't you fold When the mountain is high When the river runs dry Don't you fold When you're out of your mind Yeah, when you're walking the line Don't you fold When the mountain is high When the river is wide Don't you fold When you're out of your mind, Yeah, when you're walking the line Don't you fold Don't you fold - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I had to find Some peace of mind Well, I've been running around My head in the clouds And then one day She passed my way Now I've got something to say I can't articulate, no Falling for love Well, it was easy to do When it was me and when it was you I said I wanted love I'm never giving it back My heart, my mind Through space and time Now I'm a little confused You said, "Boy, what's new?" I understand the words you say But at the end of the day Your ways are not my ways Oh, falling for love Well, it was easy to do When it was me and when it was you I said I wanted love I'm never giving it back Oh, now there was a time I never knew Trading a lie in for the truth I said I wanted love I'm never giving it back to you And when you fight You'd better hold on, hold on tight And when you fight, you'd better Treat them, treat them right Falling for love Well, it was easy to do When it was me and when it was you I said I wanted love I'm never giving it back Oh, now there was a time I never knew Yeah, trading a lie in for the truth I said I wanted love I'm never giving it back to you - Yeah! I'm going to shed some clothing here. Hope you guys are having a great time. We sure are. Wow, what's going on here? This one's called "Who Are You." Behind those innocent eyes Underneath that smile Do you tell the truth? Is it one big lie? Well, I wish you well but I cannot tell Oh no, no Just who are you when no one is around? And you paint your face And you change your hand Tell me what happened to you Such a long time ago And all your friends Well, they have no clue Do you? Just who are you when no one is around? Who are you when no one is around? Who are you when no one is around? No one in this world could bring you down Who are you when no one is around? Couldn't love anyone else 'Til you get over yourself You're burning every bridge You're taking more than you give And you wear your mask Can't forget the past Who are you when no one is around? Who are you when no one is around? Who are you when no one is around? Well, no one in this world could bring you down From wherever you are Oh, let every man see Exactly you are You won't fail to believe Let them eat you up And spit you out If they could see you From the inside out Who are you when no one is around? Who are you when no one is around? Well, no one in this world could bring you down Who are you when no one is around? If I could wake my crooked heart If I was there right from the start To feel what it was like To be turned on If you could fight the battle and win To miss the mark correct within If your wish came true Your dreams made real Running for cover Running to hide If I could be a wiser man To rest my head and trust the plan And fighting like a child To get my way If I could see the garden place Before the fall Would things have changed? I wasn't there and neither were you But I take the blame As you should too, my friend Now we're running for cover Running to hide Yeah, we're running for cover Running to hide We've been trying with each other To unravel the age-old story But I'm starting to think That there's a reason We don't understand. And it's easy to blame someone else For my wants and my worries, But I know, I accept That it's just a part of who I am. Now we're running for cover Running to hide And you say it's not my problem Out of sight, out of mind. Yeah, we're running for cover Running afraid As we war with one another Of the mess that we've made Running for cover Running to hide Yeah, we're running for cover Running to hide - Good night! Good morning! Whatever. We're Ivan and Alyosha.

Artist Bio

Ivan & Alyosha is a folk-pop, indie, rock band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 2007 with the current members, Tim Wilson and Ryan Carbary. They were later joined by Pete Wilson and Tim Kim.